


Something the cat dragged in

by fabricdragon



Series: How Moriarty Met Moran [19]
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Crack Treated Seriously, Demonic Possession, Demons, Dubious Consent, Dubious Ethics, Dubious Morality, M/M, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Stockholm Syndrome, craig the demon - Freeform, the demon Craig
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:47:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25899190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabricdragon/pseuds/fabricdragon
Summary: Sebastian Moran's POV on his encounters with "Moriarty" (Aka the demon Craig and his host body, Jim)
Relationships: Sebastian Moran & Jim Moriarty, Sebastian Moran/Jim Moriarty
Series: How Moriarty Met Moran [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1069010
Comments: 78
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SpeculativeCorvid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpeculativeCorvid/gifts), [Unseen_Academical](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unseen_Academical/gifts), [mickie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mickie/gifts), [InnerSpectrum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InnerSpectrum/gifts), [emcece](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emcece/gifts), [TPurr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TPurr/gifts), [FantasyTLOU](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasyTLOU/gifts), [IantoLives](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IantoLives/gifts), [jujukittychick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jujukittychick/gifts), [Seremarias](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seremarias/gifts), [feanor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/feanor/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Craig Moriarty didn't have the right ring to it](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22499080) by [fabricdragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabricdragon/pseuds/fabricdragon). 



Sebastian looked down at the scene below him and positively itched to pull the trigger. He had his orders, though, directly from Antarctica, not to take any action that endangered Sherlock Holmes, and there were far too many armed men here to take the chance. One of Moriarty’s snipers had a line directly on Sherlock Holmes and all it would take was being startled to put a hole between those pretty blue eyes, so… Sebastian waited.

After Moriarty left the pool- and then made his dramatic re- entrance and left again- Moriarty gave him JUST the opportunity he needed: the other snipers had packed down and were heading out, and he saw Moriarty just disconnecting the phone call and about to get in the car. It was dark- the lights in the parking lot having been sabotaged earlier along with most of the cameras- and even if someone figured out where the shot had come from it would take too long…

Sebastian took the shot.

He saw enough to be sure he had hit- Moriarty’s body snapping backward with that peculiar punch of a hit to the torso- and he concentrated on getting away quickly.

He was down from the roof, across part of the lot, and he glanced to the side at a noise… and when he looked back it was to find Moriarty standing in front him with that creepy smile and a cigarette in his bloody hand- bloody from the red stain on his shirt spreading from the bullet hole right through the jacket next to his heart…

Sebastian stared at him: he was just… standing there like nothing was wrong!?…  _ He should be dead? What? _

“That was rude, Moran.” he said it in his quiet voice, as if he was just thinking about things.

Sebastian snapped out of his shock and pulled a knife but Moriarty just grabbed his wrist and he was too strong: he’d heard about insane people being impossibly strong but he’d never believed it… he tried to use his off hand and...

As slowly as if it was underwater Moriarty put his hand on Sebastian’s chest and Sebastian felt weak, drugged? He collapsed into Moriarty’s arms and his eyes closed…

Death was peaceful- he’d never known it would be so quiet…

...Then suddenly with a feeling like being thrown into ice cold water he was convulsing in the parking lot and trying to breathe and he distantly heard Moriarty say something about, “he did ask me to find him a boyfriend,” and then he was unconscious.

…

He woke up feeling like he’d done a few rounds with his old combat instructor and spent most of it lying on the mat contemplating the ceiling paint after being body slammed. It took a bit to get his orientation but he was… sitting? On something a bit rough- carpet his mind supplied finally- with his legs out awkwardly in front of him and his arms stretched almost painfully out to the side and up. With a bit of work he managed to lift his head enough to look around just a bit: bedroom? Not a cell, but…

He was gagged, and when he turned his head he could see solid steel cuffs that were chained through a steel bed frame to the posts- his back was up against the frame- he couldn't tell if it was a headboard or a footboard yet but the metal bars and curves of the metal pressed painfully against his back.

He managed to get his feet tucked under him so he was sitting with his legs under him- it took some of the strain off his arms and … right, nude. He’d been stripped of all his gear and was chained nude to the end of a metal bed.

He sat there for a while, shifting his position as much as he could to keep circulation in his legs, wiggling his fingers and leaning one way or another.

He was tired and while the way he was chained wasn’t that painful it was unfortunately secure and… it ached to have his arms like this. Somehow this wasn't what he figured for a prisoner of Moriarty’s: if he kept prisoners at all he rather imagined it would be something classic- like a dungeon- or something dramatically implausible like a pool of sharks or something. This just looked like a bedroom, although the bed was bolted down and nothing was in reach.

He was looking around again for lack of anything better to do when he felt movement behind him?  _ Someone was on the bed? _ He felt the vibrations through the frame pressed up against his back and he heard sounds like faint whimpering… _ another prisoner? _ After a while the person moved and then he heard them inhale sharply- they sounded startled, so probably hadn't been conscious when he was brought in…

Much to his surprise he felt a fingertip brush his shoulder, but he couldn't turn his head enough to get a good look: they must be less restrained?. They slowly got off the bed and he heard them circling around- so not restrained…

And then Moriarty came around and stared at him. He was wearing boxers and a t-shirt, and looked like the image he’d seen of the man undercover- harmless and adorable- but Sebastian had no idea why he was playing at that this time. He was very convincingly staring at him as though he had no idea who he was and how he got there. He also must have gotten a transfusion or something because he looked dandy.

Sebastian tried to will the man to death by glaring at him, but all he did was give himself a headache.

Moriarty fidgeted and babbled something about taking out his gag- even his voice sounded convincingly soft and sleep roughened and nervous- and then said something about breakfast and water and…

Scurried away.

Sebastian could only assume he was getting himself in character or practicing his next undercover role. he had to admit he was DAMNABLY convincing- no wonder people never realized the nervous minion or the friendly computer tech was that psychopath…

Sebastian pulled futilely on the chains again and then sagged- as much as he could. His shoulders ached, and his back was protesting, and his knees were not on speaking terms with him… and this was probably as good as it was likely to get for a long while unless Antarctica decided it was worth the risk to try to retrieve him AND could figure out where he was.


	2. it's never twins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian meets Moriarty... did he just call him Craig?   
> (reminder this is Sebastian's POV- somewhat less than coherent occasionally- on what happened in the main story)

Sebastian listened to the sounds of someone rummaging about in a kitchen and wondered why Moriarty was bothering with the act. He supposed it must be something like method acting? It was certainly very convincing, but of course he was chained naked to the footboard of a bed, so it wasn’t going to convince HIM.

Eventually Moriarty came back with a plate and a glass... and still playing the innocent and nervous act.

Moriarty stuttered and waved a glass of water at him, and then said the least comprehensible thing imaginable: “I’m going to take your gag out and… please don’t scream at me; it’s not my fault.”

While Sebastian was wondering how the hell he could even SAY that with a straight face; he knelt down and rather awkwardly unbuckled the gag.

Sebastian didn’t try to talk until he’d had several sips of water, but he couldn't keep the words, “and how, exactly, is this ‘not your fault’ Mister Moriarty?” from growling out once his mouth felt less like a wad of cotton.

For some reason Moriarty stared at him in a way that looked… almost fascinated? “Do you do Shakespeare? You should do Shakespeare… uh… sorry, what?”

Sebastian was staring at him incredulously and trying to figure out what the hell you SAID to this lunatic, when his eyes tracked down and he realized he could see down the gap in the man’s t-shirt.... _ unmarked skin.  _ “What? Why aren’t you… I MISSED?! I can’t have missed…” Sebastian blurted out. He’d seen blood, seen the hole, even if the wound was somehow minor  _ how? Why? what?! _

Moriarty slowly looked down at his chest. ”Oh… was he- err I- hurt? Sorry, like I said, not my fault… well i suppose it’s sort of my fault? Uh…” and then he suddenly blurted out, “GOD you’re gorgeous-” and flinched.

_ He? HE?! This… wasn’t Moriarty?!  _ “Is...wait… you… ACTUALLY have a twin?” If this wasn’t Moriarty then a lot of this started making WAY more sense…

While Sebastian was trying to sort through it all, he stuttered something about someone named ‘Craig’ -  _ Moriarty? _ Sebastian tried to convince him to unlock him, but he said ‘Craig’ hadn't left him the keys- or he didn't know where they were…  _ and he left a note that said to not unlock me, lovely. _

Sebastian tried to follow prisoner protocols and get more information than he gave up, but he found his eyes drifting back to the glass and his tongue did still feel fuzzy...

Whoever this was- not Moriarty- gave him sips of water and bites of food… and was trying to be subtle about staring at Sebastian’s body. Sebastian cautiously shifted himself to a slightly more comfortable position and not-Moriarty’s tongue came out quickly and lapped at his lips and his eyes widened…

Sebastian certainly hadn’t trained for this kind of manipulation, but if it was all he had he was going to use it.

Unfortunately Sebastian was not at all used to trying to seduce anyone while a prisoner and … snapped back with his usual snark instead of acting harmless.  _ Sigh _ . And then Sebastian’s ear caught on a rather notable turn of phrase: “he’s never left me a live person?”

_ He’s never left you a LIVE person? He’s never left you… a LIVE person?! _

Sebastian asked- with a horrifying sense of the answer- “He’s left you a dead one?”

“Wow- you’re smart… uh… yes? Not whole, usually… but… after i screamed when i opened the fridge that time he did start leaving notes…” He sighed, “I THINK i finally got across to him that i don't like body parts lying around... It’s no wonder he likes Sherlock.”

_ Ok, Not-Moriarty was also crazy, but not QUITE as crazy as Moriarty, and... _ “He… likes Sherlock… because…?” Sebastian resolved to ask a LOT more questions about the Detective if he ever got out of here and tried to get back to escaping. “Look can you just unchain me and…” he dangled an offer of help hopefully, “I can get you out of here too, if you need help…”

Not-Moriarty sighed with the put upon tone of someone trying to explain their boyfriend- or brother- , “Look, Craig is… beyond weird, but he actually DOES have my best interests at heart- even if he doesn't understand them very well- and… did you say you hurt him?”

Sebastian didn't know if it was the injuries, the discomfort, having been hit once too many times in the head, or the stress of carrying on a conversation with Moriarty’s insane twin, but he blurted out the truth: “He… he SHOULD be dead, honestly- i shot him.”

“You… SHOT… Craig?!” He looked horrified and patted frantically at his chest- as if HE should be shot.

“...yes? Why are you… um… what’s going on?” _ Is this like one of those twins ‘feel each other’s pain’ things? Does he think he should feel it if Moriarty got shot? What? _

He sat back slowly and stared in a horrified fashion at Sebastian-  _ which made sense i guess since he just found out i shot his twin _ \- and then whispered,  __ “...but why didn't he just eat you?”

Sebastian processed what the man said slowly and tried to repeat it back- he failed. “...why… didn’t.. He… What?!”  _ You did not say ‘eat me’... did you? _

He moved back further, staring at him with wide eyes and then it looked like something went ‘Click’. “Craig… left you for me- Oh… OH! Craig didn’t eat you because he thought…” he put his head in his hands, “You’re a present- this is like having a demonic cat… i swear…”

_ Yes, he actually said ‘eat me’ good God…  _ “Can…”  _ Nope, don’t ask for an explanation, don't act shocked, just try to get loose and worry about it later.  _ “Look, I need to get out of here before… Craig? Moriarty comes back...Also I need to find my clothes but that's…” 

Sebastian couldn’t even follow his own advice- the curiosity just kept ITCHING at him: “ok i give up, what’s a demonic cat?”

“Craig,” He moaned, “A CAT would just drop a mouse on the bed, but CRAIG has apparently decided I need a boyfriend.”

_ A...boyfriend? What? _ Sebastian was trying to make sense of that when the lights flickered just a bit and then…

Not-Moriarty did this sort of odd shifting motion before he sat back and sighed, “Craig…You can’t just…. chain a man to the bed…”

Sebastian decided to try a different tactic: “Look… can you unchain me to go to the bathroom at least?” 

And then the soft harmless look fell away and a VERY Moriarty smile spread across the man’s face and his eyes-  _ HOLY SHIT the guy really WAS Moriarty- SHIT! _

“~Sebastian~ Dear…” Moriarty sing-songed at him and cocked his head, “You should have tried that with Jim before I got back.”

_ Got back? What?  _ Old movie tropes of ‘split personalities’ flickered in his memories “...You’re crazy?!”  _ but there was something really REALLY different in his eyes… _

Moriarty stood up- body language completely different and just leaned down and… tugged? At the chains and- Sebastian almost fell face first into the carpet. He gathered his wits, ignored his screaming arms and back and tried to run… only to REALLY faceplant when something snagged his ankle.

“His ankle wasn’t cuffed before?” Not-Moriarty’s voice

“Details!” Moriarty’s voice.

Sebastian tried to get up and Moriarty casually twisted his arms behind his body-  _ OW! _ He hissed and tried to make sense of it as his arms were re-cuffed behind his back and he was marched into the bathroom.

Once they got into the bathroom, Moriarty kept one hand locked around his arm- painfully- and in a dismissive tone- complete with eye rolling- told him to hurry up and ‘take care of it’:Sebastian took his time with the toilet, watching carefully…

It was creepy- Moriarty was watching him with his usual amused look, making comments about how good looking he was, but… then the not-Moriarty expression would flick across his face and he would look away…

_ It was a split personality- had to be! _

_ But… _

“He even has a rather attractive cock…” Moriarty drawled- while looking like he might consider having Sebastian’s specific anatomy stuffed and mounted on a wall, “I mean if you like that sort of thing: you do like that sort of thing don’t you?” Moriarty-  _ Craig? _ \- was allowing Sebastian to clean up with a washcloth while he continued…. commenting..

And then not-Moriarty’s softer voice coming from the same mouth, “Craig, you… look, who IS he anyway, and... he shot you?”

Moriarty- i suppose labeling him Craig was in order- rather petulantly ran his free hand over his chest. “He SHOT me,” he did his usual exaggerated pout, “it hurt AND it totally ruined the Westwood!”

_ I did… i shot him… he was bleeding, but he was FINE… he wasn’t wounded… How the HELL?! _

The other voice, sounding sympathetic and confused, “The… Oh! The suit? The fancy new one?”

“YES!” Moriarty sounded like he might start sniffling.

Sebastian was trying to figure out how the hell he could do anything when Moriarty suddenly LET GO of Sebastian’s arm to … pat himself on the shoulder?

_ Whatever _ .

Sebastian didn't waste time trying to get out of the cuffs, he just rammed the door- it would hurt, but he didn't have the angles and leverage to kick it in without letting Moriarty grab him again.

Unfortunately he … got tangled in the door wreckage: Moriarty grabbed his leg and hauled him back over the broken door- he felt a broken spar of wood impale his side- he might have screamed.

He distantly heard the other one say, “Craig… um… you… he’s damaged.”

“He is? Well he shouldn't have tried to run!”

Sebastian was gritting his teeth and panting because there was a piece of door actually lodged in his torso and this was BAD…

Moriarty-  _ no, the other one? _ \- looked ill and swallowed hard, “Craig? Can you fix him?”

A drawling,“Why?”

A pitying- and a bit wistful- look crossed the man’s face and he said hopefully, “Well, you did give him to me?”

Watching the shift between them was… _ it was too different- but he was a master actor… but… _

“You like him?” he asked in Moriarty’s voice, if a bit perkier than usual.

“I have no idea, Craig, i barely got a chance to get to know him?”

Moriarty waved- whether at his crotch or the wood in his side he couldn't tell, while still holding him up by his ankle. “What’s to know? He’s cute…”

Moriarty - or Not-Craig - pinched the bridge of his nose and spoke very firmly, “I prefer them alive, conscious, and in one piece?” and then a bit more quietly, “and voluntary, and not shooting at me.”

“Oh… fine!” Moriarty huffed, and then looked...unpleasantly attentive at him. “This will hurt,” he said conversationally and then it was just pain. 

Whatever was happening, it was unnatural and it felt HORRIBLE and the pain was the least unpleasant part of it because it felt like something dark and sticky was crawling around inside of him...

He never lost consciousness- he wasn’t that lucky- but when the pain finally stopped it took him a while to remember how to breathe and to make his limbs work: by then Moriarty was casually dumping him on the bed… and chaining him to it.

Moriarty… flounced- that was the only word for it. “I have a meeting and I need the body, ok? You can… talk? To your present later.”

“Well i have a commercial tomorrow, so i need to have everything settled by then?”

Moriarty idly patted himself on the head and… sort of ruffled his own hair before smoothing it down and back, “Sure thing, Jim.”

And then Not-Moriarty-  _ had Craig called him Jim? _ \- turned back at the door. “Sebastian, was it? I’ll… be back later.”

And then Moriarty straightened himself up, and did that odd serpentine crick to his neck, like he did, and sniffed,“You RUINED my suit, Moran.” 

Sebastian just stared at him-  _ them? _ \- as he pulled out a garment bag and walked off. He didn't look back, but his off hand- the one not holding a garment bag- sort of waved at him…

And then he was gone and Sebastian was chained to a bed, in a bedroom, and....

_ What… the… HELL?! _


	3. we're going to have a little CHAT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW in this chapter include PTSD, panic attacks, demons, craig, moriarty, and threats

Sebastian remained frozen on the bed until he was fairly certain they had left…

 _They? Him?_ Sebastian tried to rein in the panic and analyze- it didn't work well. He spent several minutes just breathing deeply and getting himself calmed down.

“Alright,” he tried speaking out loud in the hope that it would make more sense than it did in his head. “Moriarty is just extra crazy, and has a nicer side he calls Jim. right?”

He tried to believe that.

“But i SHOT Moriarty- i saw the blood and the way it hit and the hole in his suit… ok, coulda been fake blood and a bulletproof vest- it would look the same. So he’s just super extra crazy and…”

He looked down his own body- still streaked with drying blood and… other material.

“I had… a hunk of wood… in me… and...now i don’t.” Sebastian tried to get his breathing controlled again.

“I could have been heavily drugged with hallucinogens?” he was sort of hopeful about that idea- so far it was the only idea that made sense. “Heavily drugged with hallucinogens, smeared with fake… blood and stuff… because he’s...trying to make me crazy?”

Sebastian pushed it all aside and tried to figure out if he could get loose. Unfortunately the chains were welded to the bed- they hadn’t been. _DRUGS!_ He told himself very firmly and tried to look around for any items of use that he could reach. He found several packets of crisps, a bottle of soda- warm but sealed- and several books: everything else had been moved out of reach or wasn’t useful..

The books were… weird. One was a book of varied length monologues for actors? _Well, ‘Jim’ said he had a commercial? So probably that._ There was a book on etiquette, a collection of short stories about demons, and a sudoku book.

All of them had notations in pen in them.

Sebastian went through the monologue book first but it was mostly notes on breathing and tone and … what he had to suppose was normal acting stuff?

The sudoku book was partially filled in: in pen, yes.

The book on etiquette… it had lots of margin notes that read as though they were written by martians trying to learn human behavior by reading an etiquette book- it was bizarre. 

The anthology of short stories about demons, though… there were notes - there were notes laughing about how that isn't how it works, or ‘cool idea there’ and a lot about how idiotic humans were- yes it said humans. There were occasional notes in a different hand asking questions of the first commenter, or agreeing, or…

Sebastian checked: the second handwriting matched the notes in the monologue book: the hand writing in the etiquette book and the first handwriting in the demon’s book were… Craig, maybe? The sudoku book he couldn't tell because it was block printed numbers.- could be either.

He ended up reading the demon anthology, partly to get a better understanding of the handwritten notes and partly out of boredom.

About the time he was seriously contemplating using the wastebasket as a toilet, he heard the sound of someone coming back into the...flat/house/whatever it was. They were making noises that reminded Sebastian of Jim rummaging around in the kitchen, but more purposeful, and eventually he just gave up and called out, “Unless you want MORE of a mess in your bed; I need the bathroom.”

The sounds stopped and after a bit the door opened: Moriarty. He looked annoyed, as though Sebastian had interrupted him in something.

“Again?” he sounded aggravated, “Very well.” he did something and...the locks attaching his cuffs to the bed just fell off. Sebastian glanced at the locks as he was hauled off the bed- they were closed and locked… _just… laying there..._ That same very much too strong hand took hold of him around his bicep and he was walked… back to the bathroom with a broken door… and a lot of blood on the broken door parts…

Sebastian hadn't had a panic attack in years, but he had one now.

 _It was impossible, it was all impossible, none of this was REAL, good God just WAKE UP!_ He distantly heard someone yelling at him… _was he running? Did something hit him? It hurt and there were unnatural sensations crawling through him and he was shot and desert sand and..._

When he finally came back to himself he was wrapped tightly in a blanket and a man’s voice was telling him over and over that he would be alright… he finally must have responded because someone held a cup of tea to his mouth: when he looked up it was Moriarty- _no… it was… it was someone else who… kind of looked like Moriarty.._

“Hey,” the softer voice of ‘Jim’ said, and he waved a biscuit, “Can you have a bit of sugar yet?”

Sebastian just nodded and managed to hold the biscuit clumsily and get… well he got crumbs everywhere but some of it ended up in his mouth.

“Was it the blood? Craig… forgets people are bothered by it: i kind of forget sometimes.”

“It’s not real,” he whispered, “why can’t i wake up? What the hell did you give me?”

Jim’s face scrunched up and he patted awkwardly at him, “It’s real, and… I’m sorry- I told Craig that … i may have said he could find me a boyfriend that didn’t keep body parts around like Sherlock- and besides he’s so mean…”

“Sh- Sherlock.” Sebastian took a shaky breath. “The detective… from the pool.”

“Pool?”

“I was… I was one of the snipers? For Moriarty?”

Jim sighed, “I’m Jim- not Moriarty: Craig is Moriarty.”

“But… you’re the same person? I saw…”

“Uh… no.” Jim shook his head firmly, “Look, i know this is hard- honestly you’re taking it better than the last guy, or the girl, or the priest for that matter, but…” he stopped and sighed, “OK, look: you need to eat. Craig is here but I’m… er… driving right now? And… as long as you don’t try to run away you don’t have to deal with him, okay?”

NOT dealing with Craig sounded like the best idea EVER so Sebastian just nodded- a lot.

Jim got him off the bed and…. Sebastian ended up having to shut his eyes and be steered past the bathroom… and then he was handed a bathrobe and put down in a chair at a table and Jim asked him about allergies… sometime later there was food in front of him- he really couldn't have said whether Jim cooked or it just appeared or what but it was food- it was even pretty good.

Jim chattered on sort of happily at him- Sebastian got the impression that having someone who knew about...Craig… was a bit of a novelty.

“Are you feeling better?”

“I… guess? If by better you mean less inclined to throw up…” 

Jim blurted out, “I was a bit more worried about the running sort of randomly into walls and then curling up in a ball and muttering incomprehensibly, but… um… that's good too.”

“I… look, can i just… go home? I SWEAR i will never so much as look at anything-”

“Err… well… um… first of all, Craig is … apparently the fact that you crossed Moriarty is … kind of a big deal?”

 _No, no one crossed Moriarty and lived, everyone knew that:_ Sebastian sagged, “yeah.”

“Why did you shoot Craig anyway? Did he… did he hurt you? He said he didn't do anything to you…”

Sebastian looked at this sincerely confused face- that looked way too much like Moriarty- and tried to figure out how to answer him without giving up anything important… “Umm… i work for someone, and… that someone put me in line for Moriarty to hire, and… i got told to kill him: it was… it was why i was there at all? He’s been involved in terrorism and-”

“Terrorism?!”

“Yes?” Sebastian hesitated, “Lots of murders, and… you do know about the pool, right?”

“No?”

“I was a sniper at the pool? He was holding- he had Watson in a bomb vest and sniper lines on Sherlock Holmes…”

“Craig!” Jim looked sort of vaguely upwards, “I thought you LIKED Sherlock?!”

Moriarty’s voice, and a flicker of his expression, “What? I was playing with him! He loved it!!!”

Sebastian rather nervously put forward, “Captain John Watson most definitely did NOT love being in a bomb vest: he was sending SOS the whole time.”

Craig- definitely Craig- crossed his arms and pouted, “Who cares? Sherlock adored it!”

And suddenly it was Jim’s expressions, “Craig,” he said it very gently, “Craig… haven’t you admitted you aren’t EXACTLY the best judge of humans? Hmm?”

The arms came down a bit and a puzzled look crossed his face, “You… think he didn’t like it?”

“Craig, i have no idea, because i wasn't awake, but... “ he glanced at Sebastian, “Sebastian, right?” 

Sebastian nodded quickly- rather frozen in place watching this.

“Sebastian was watching and he’s human and HE didn’t think they had fun…”

Craig suddenly looked straight at him and frowned, and NO HIS EYES LOOKED NOTHING AT ALL LIKE JIM’S and Sebastian started hyperventilating a bit…

He heard: “Craig! Back it down to human!” and the eyes- which had been clearly pits to hell and were going to eat him- went back to Moriarty’s creepy black.

Sebastian realized he was on the floor- having no idea how he got there and he flinched as Moriarty walked over to him and crouched down.

“Moran… I’ve put Jim to sleep for a little bit and WE are going to have a CHAT ~ understand~?!” his voice veered into that odd sing-song that usually meant things were about to get very violent.

Sebastian shot a very longing glance in the direction of a door- he didn't know for sure it was the way out, but it might be- and then just stayed put and nodded.

A single finger pressed into his chest. “I can’t HEAR YOU, Moran…”

Very carefully Sebastian nodded again and said, “We are going to have a chat; yes sir, mister Moriarty.”

Moriarty was crouching far too close to him and Sebastian had the very unnerving image of a gargoyle - or a crow about to pick out his eyes.

“Good; so nice when people understand,” Moriarty smiled and looked…. Like Moriarty playing harmless, which didn’t really ring true once you’d seen Jim.

“Now… you…you HURT me- and Jim’s body, incidentally- and worse, you damaged my newest favorite suit. You are alive because Jim didn’t LIKE Sherlock, and Jim asked me to find a boyfriend who didn’t keep body parts around and … lucky you, you volunteered.” Moriarty cocked his head as if waiting and when Sebastian didn't say anything he went on, “Now, i admit… i won’t exactly mind having you about- you’re decorative and you have so much death about you that it’s quite charming- but I got you for Jim and so…. If you DON’T want to end up being dinner? Then you are going to be a very good Boyfriend, aren’t you, Moran?”

“Uh...i… thought…”

“You thought? That’s novel… what thoughts would those be?”

“I thought Jim said he wanted a _voluntary_ boyfriend…”

Moriarty leaned over and rested his VERY sharp elbows on Sebastian’s shoulders and peered down at him from about a foot away…. While smiling… and his teeth were… _were they sharp?_ Sebastian couldn't quite decide, but it didn't matter because Moriarty’s eyes were doing that… that THING they did and oh _GodPleaseJustKillMe!_

“Then you better be voluntary, Moran… don’t you think?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am not ok, i am most emphatically NOT ok  
> (sebastian's POV continues- this chapter crosses over the chapter break in Jim/Craig's POV story)

Sebastian almost didn’t register it when Jim called his name:  _ Craig… wasn’t… that couldn’t be human, nothing’s eyes looked like…. _

“Uh… Sebastian?” Jim’s voice, not Craig.

Sebastian very nervously looked up into perfectly normal dark brown eyes. “Would it help if i said no?” he tried to ask- got it out on the second try.

“You’re ok?” Jim sounded quite relieved- and surprised.

“No,” Sebastian said very firmly, “I am not ok.” _ I am emphatically NOT ok. _

“Well… ah… you’re doing better than most people who really meet Craig? How about a shower? You’ll feel better after a shower…”

Sebastian expected that most people who ‘met Craig’ either ripped out their own eyes, jumped out of a window, or did something equally drastic and permanent, so he couldn't be surprised if he was ‘doing better than most’. Then he processed what Jim was saying about the shower and thought of going near the bathroom….  _ Splintered wood… it had been in my guts… slithering painful something… _ “I am not going near that…” Sebastian trailed off shuddering and wrapped his arms around his stomach protectively.. 

Jim looked sympathetic and glanced up -well, slightly up and to the side- and said: “Craig… he’s… upset by the whole… being hurt and healed thing? You know it hurts. Is there… a different bathroom?”

Craig’s voice- although less threatening than before- answered out of the same mouth. “I could just get someone in to clean it up?”

“Sure, Craig. Come on, Sebastian let’s get you to the sofa, Ok? You’re doing REALLY well….”

Sebastian didn’t want to move- ever- but he was also a bit afraid to not do what Jim said, and somehow he ended up over on the sofa and wrapped back up in a blanket.

Blankets were good- he had SEVERELY under appreciated blankets.

Jim was wandering around setting up tea. Sebastian glanced once- just once- at the door and saw Jim’s eyes go inky black and he curled up in his blanket and tried not to turn his head again- possibly ever.

“This is a nice place…” Jim commented as he was getting a tray.

Sebastian wasn’t entirely certain it was safe to talk, but reasoned that ‘voluntary boyfriend’ did include…. You know… talking? So he tried to find a balance between ‘what in the FUCK is going on?!’ and ‘small talk’: “You act like you don’t know the place?”

“Craig doesn't tell me much about… what he’s doing.” 

Sebastian, trying to figure out where the line between ‘Jim’- the merely crazy guy - and ‘Craig’ -the whateverthefuckthatwas- asked, “Don't you have… right, you didn’t know about the pool or… Do you have any say over this?!” He was a trained SAS officer and a SIS deep cover infiltrator and his voice still hit a pitch it hadn’t reached since puberty.

“You are REALLY handling this well.” Jim sounded impressed.

He didn’t think screaming ‘are you INSANE?’ was a good idea so he settled for looking dubious- besides the man was obviously insane so it would be kind of rude.

Jim sighed and sat down with the tea. “No, i don’t have any say over any of this except… except that Craig likes me, so… he tries? He really TRIES, but he’s not…” Jim shrugged, “he’s not human, and honestly it's been so long that sometimes i have trouble understanding things myself.”

_ Well, at least he admits he’s not normal _ . The second thought slammed into the heels of the first:  _ at least he’s not CRAIG. _ After several deep breaths he went back to trying to get enough information to survive this: “How did you… ah… get Craig?”

Jim looked like he was having a mental debate…

_ Good God, he probably IS having a mental debate! _

“well, why not, it's the truth: i got appallingly lucky to get Craig. It could have been WAY worse.” Jim said and nodded firmly.

_ Worse? Worse?!  _ And then Sebastian started thinking about what he’d experienced so far and those eyes and that horrible crawling sensation somewhere he couldn't identify and… Jim was tucking the blanket around him a bit more and his tea cup was gone.

Jim was making reassuring noises and then said, “Oh- the people are here; Craig has to handle that,” and then Moriarty was back, looking bored and telling a group of people to “Clean up all the blood and fix the bathroom” like it was normal…

Of course for Moriarty it probably was.

But that was Craig’s voice so Sebastian tried very hard to become the blanket.

Every now and then Moriarty’s hand would reach over and sort of PAT at him… he wasn’t sure why at first, but then he remembered Jim’s hand patting at ‘Craig’ and how Jim had been talking to him while Craig typed, and he realized it was probably JIM patting at him to reassure him.

It wasn’t very reassuring, but he appreciated the attempt.

After a while the crew came back and said they were done; Craig stood up and leaned over Sebastian: “Now you’re going to be a GOOD present and just stay wrapped up here on the couch, yes?”

Sebastian made the mistake of glancing toward the door and Craig’s mouth got impossibly broad and… Sebastian felt like fainting was the appropriate response, but he had no idea how to do that on demand so he just very, very, carefully enunciated words: “Stay… right here… blanket.”

Craig patted him on the head- not Jim, definitely Craig- “Good! Then no one has to clean up any more blood.” 

Sebastian was vaguely aware of people leaving, but since he couldn't turn his head- or look out of the blanket- he wasn’t sure.

“Umm… hey, so… I’m back…” That had to be Jim because he didn’t think Craig said, ‘Umm’ so much.

“Is… Craig gone?” he asked hopefully- without looking out of his blanket because Craig might be there.

“No, but he’s… stepped back? Like he was before.” Jim patted at him and went away and then there was the sound of dishes. Jim came back after a bit with another cup of tea and some chocolates, and Sebastian eventually decided it was reasonably safe to look at him, since he doubted Craig would stammer that much OR give him chocolates.

....“You asked how i ‘got Craig’.” Jim offered hesitantly. 

“Right…” he tried to smile: he wasn't sure he really wanted to know but a lack of intelligence never helped the tactics, so he asked: “So how did you two… err… was he always…”

“Nah, i was pretty ordinary-” Jim cut off and then raised his voice EXACTLY as though someone had interrupted him. “I was pretty ordinary- as far as being human and stuff goes- until… well i was gay, and my parents- and their church- REALLY didn’t cope well and i was going to be packed off to a camp to… well, cure me, i guess.” 

Sebastian snorted, “Oh? Is that like being sent to military school? Been there, done that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, my father-”  _ keep the focus on information gathering, Moran, you know better than that! _ “Anyway, sorry, you were saying? How do you get from that to…” he waved vaguely, not knowing how to ask.

“We- my family?- belonged to a really weird church and...well they collected antiquities? You know, stuff that supposedly would prove the Bible was right and all and…” Jim winced, “I was REALLY desperate and there were these old writings with names and stuff... and I tried to summon the devil? Or a demon anyway.” then he muttered into his tea, “It… ah… worked, even if i didn't get… what i expected.”

Sebastian blinked as an image of someone pouring over ancient papers and writings finally snapped into focus. “You SUMMONED Craig?!”

Jim muttered, “I said it was dumb,” into his tea.

“What… ok, what happened- I mean besides the obvious?”

Jim paused for a while and chewed on his lip a bit. “Craig was pretty confused, because um… well apparently he isn't Christian? Or associated really with… anything my parents’ church taught? So he was really confused, and i was really confused, and… the next morning i honestly thought i had just… dreamed it?”

“I could… yeah i could see that.” 

Jim nodded vigorously, “I mean… yeah, right… SURE, i summoned a demon and had to explain basic theology to him? It seemed more like a dream than anything- my arms even had healed.”

Sebastian twitched at the mention of healing..

“Anyway i… I begged and I tried to get out of it but I still got shipped off to a religious camp and…” Jim smiled, and it was Jim, but it was a very Moriarty KIND of smile, even if it was clearly not Craig. “The first time one of the counselors didn't just harass me, but tried to hurt me? Craig killed him.”

Sebastian supposed that would bother most people but he figured bullies had it coming- well maybe they didn't have CRAIG coming… “Uh… killed him or… look did he JUST kill him or did he…” Sebastian tried very hard not to flinch.

Jim blinked at him in confusion.

“Never mind,” Seb tried to curl back into the very nice blanket.

“Do… you want more food?”

“Yes?”

Jim wandered around a bit in the kitchen: Sebastian pulled himself into the blanket so Craig wouldn’t think he was looking at any doors. Eventually Jim came back and said he had ordered something for delivery.

Jim talked about commercials- he was filming one tomorrow- and how Craig had messed up some auditions, and helped him with a few others: Sebastian didn't know how Craig could help with anything besides a horror film, but he kept his mouth shut and nodded a lot.

Food showed up and that was helpful, although Jim started asking him questions. Sebastian was about answering any questions about being a soldier or being a sniper, but… his anti interrogation training most emphatically did not cover this. 

He decided telling him stuff that was easy to look up, or that Moriarty already should know, might be against the usual rules of not giving any information to your captors, but… he didn't want to upset Craig, and Jim mostly seemed just curious… “-So in the end i got officially discharged for a medical, even if they really wanted me gone for all the other stuff.” 

Jim was looking really interested and started to ask another question and then looked past him … “Oh! Oh it’s LATE!”

“Is it?”

“Yeah, uh… i have that commercial and i need to be up and gone early and i normally would have gone to bed by now…”

Sebastian tried to come up with something flirtatious or … hell, anything useful… to say but all that he could come up with was “oh.”  _ which was… way smooth, Moran. _

“So… all the blood and broken stuff is gone, and… you need a shower and i need one too…”

Sebastian most emphatically did NOT want to go back to the bathroom but eventually he would have to anyway, so he reluctantly got off the sofa and followed Jim to the bathroom: having the evidence gone helped. Jim left him in the bathroom and closed the door, so he had actual privacy- he supposed.

He rather mechanically went about his business and was in the shower washing… the blood and...remains… of his…

Sebastian very calmly and quietly curled up in the corner of the shower and had a shaking fit- he would have screamed but he was really afraid it would draw Craig’s attention. When he could stop shaking enough to stand up and dry off he did: the towels were very nice, but not as nice as his blanket which was lying there on the bathroom floor where he had been with his guts and the door and the blanket was still streaked in a bit of blood and …

When something moved Sebastian blinked and tried to focus on it… the door was opening and it was Jim.

_ Jim not Craig- Thank God. _

Jim stared at him. Jim was frowning? Jim looked unhappy? Jim said, “This is NOT going to work.” 

“Uh… what did i do wrong-pleasedon’tcallCraigI’llfixit!” Sebastian panicked.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, I just… look, Craig is being either actually clueless or deliberately dense, and it can be REALLY hard to tell which is which, so… can we find you pajamas or something so i can take MY shower?”

Jim took him into the bedroom and left. Sebastian debated bolting briefly- very briefly- and then started thinking about how… upset… Craig would be. He didn’t realize how long he had been spinning around inside his own head until Jim came back in waving some fabric.

“Craig is being clueless again, but at least i found you something that MIGHT fit.” Jim presented the fabric- which turned out to be silky, no, actual silk, pajama bottoms.

Jim turned away as he stood up to put them on. They were clearly a loose fit on Jim- or Craig- and a snug fit on him, but they did fit… he wasn’t used to wearing slippery silk against his skin and the feeling was… uncomfortably like someone sliding a hand over him.

“I need to take a shower and get some sleep: if you try to leave the flat Craig will probably be thrilled because it will give him an excuse,” Jim shook his head, “I don’t want to deal with it- ok?

Sebastian shuddered. ‘Craig will be thrilled because it will give him an excuse’; dear God no. Just the thought of Craig… chasing...he tried to bring his breathing back under control while he listened to the shower.

_ Jim was here; Jim said he wasn’t angry at me; Jim said i didn't do anything wrong; why was Jim upset? He had definitely been upset when he looked at me- did… Oh God what if he decided he didn’t want me as a boyfriend? Would he let Craig have me? _

Sebastian desperately willed his heart rate back down and sat very obediently on the bed where he’d been left.

Jim came back in in clean bed clothes and a bit damp and started saying, “Ok, can you tell me-” and then shook his head. “No, never mind: look, Craig is being Craig and … I have to chain you to the bed, but it doesn't have to be uncomfortable or anything so…”

_ Craig is being Craig? Well that’s bad- i wonder what he means? He has to chain me to the bed, does he want me back on the floor?  _ Sebastian watched Jim’s eyes worriedly, both for directions and in case they… shifted, and slowly laid down on the bed in the hopes he was guessing right.

Jim got out one of the chains and cuffs and locked it around one of Sebastian’s wrists and then walked around the bed and got up on that side of the bed. Sebastian was still waiting for whatever other chains were going to be added when Craig spoke up from behind him- Sebastian tried not to move, or look at a door, or breathe too hard.

“Uh… Jim…” Craig didn’t sound angry, more confused.

“Yes, Craig?” Jim sounded tired and put upon.

“Well, one: that’s not a lot of restraint…” Craig pointed out- which no it wasn’t.

“It’s enough to slow him down, and still let him sleep moderately comfortably.” Jim sounded cranky.

There was a longish pause and then:“Trying to sleep, Craig.”

Sebastian worried about what this meant- were they arguing? Did Jim not want him here anymore? Did he do something wrong? Was Craig going to eat him?

Eventually he realized the regular breathing PROBABLY meant Jim was asleep? He cautiously turned in the bed until he could see…

Jim was laying on his side facing away holding a pillow… ALLLL the way over to the edge of the bed.

Sebastian contemplated the wrist cuff and chain- _ no way to break it and i don’t know where Jim put the key _ \- and the probable consequences if Craig woke up…

Then he tried to get his breathing back controlled again.

Okay, basic anti interrogation training: if you can’t do anything else, try to sleep. 

He tried- it didn't work well. He was mentally going over the usual maintenance on his sniper rifle when he heard a very faint noise...

Jim was whimpering into his pillow.

Sebastian was carefully rolling further toward him for reassurance- as he would if one of his teammates was having a bad dream- before realizing he MIGHT wake up as Craig…

Luckily he just settled.

Sebastian was afraid to move anymore, but eventually- listening to Jim’s regular breathing as reassurance that he wasn’t going to wake up and eat him soon, Sebastian fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> intelligence gathering and..."wait... WHOSE blood?"

Sebastian woke up to the sound of an alarm and was trying to roll out of bed and get moving before he was yanked back to reality by his wrist. He was blinking rather stupidly at a cuff on his wrist and putting his memories back together when Jim unlocked him, towed him to the bathroom while babbling about being late, and then hustled him back into the bedroom and locked his wrist back to the bed.

Craig grumbled, “That’s not enough if we’re not home.”

“Then YOU fix it!” Jim snapped- Sebastian flinched before he realized Jim was snapping at Craig, and then he worried about Craig “fixing it” but Craig just chained his wrists together with a short chain, and put a hobble chain on his ankles and then Jim ran out- literally.

He ran back in before Sebastian had had time to process, put down an armload of snacks and drinks on the bed and ran back out.

“Craig I’m late, get me a cab!”

“On it!”

Sebastian was still blinking when he heard the door slam.

He didn't QUITE believe they were gone for a bit, so he spent the time organizing the rather random assortment of snacks and the bottled water and other drinks.  _ Jim said he had a commercial ‘today’ and from what he said they take several hours to film IF everyone has their act together and IF they start on time _ : from Sebastian’s prior experience in any group project outside of the SAS those were some big ‘ifs’.  _ So i have some time... _

He began a methodical search of the room- as far as he could reach on his chain: unfortunately nothing useful. He DID find out that the alarm near the bed had a clock, and a radio function- which helped him confirm what day it was and what time, and he put on some pleasant music to help his nerves.

Then he sat back on the bed and started going over the facts: they were not good facts.

Unless he was VERY heavily drugged with an exceptional hallucinogen, he had been severely, and very likely fatally, impaled on a broken spar of wood. The kind of injury that required major medical treatment, and could result in lifelong damage even if everything went perfectly…

And despite the remaining evidence on floors, blankets, and bedding? He was completely healed.

Sebastian rather firmly tried to wrangle that into anything rational, but the only RATIONAL explanation was that he had been heavily drugged by some brand new and very effective brainwashing drug. The IRRATIONAL answer was that Craig was a demon- or magical summonable entity of some sort- and had put his intestines back in place when Jim insisted he wanted his present.

He tried doing some Sudoku and listening to the radio for a while while his stomach settled, and then ate some of the less sugary snacks and had some water.

_ Right, gather intel _ . He pulled out the book of short stories featuring demons and started to read his way carefully through them all, paying special attention to the notes.

He took a nap, used the wastebasket, finished off the non sugary - less sugary- snacks and the few remaining not sugared drinks, and went back to treating a very disturbing book of short stories like a briefing on enemy action.

He made a few notes in the back of the Sudoku book on the things he had personally observed- mostly just enough to keep them straight in his head- in between doing as many of his exercises as he could with the restraints.

Then he tried to drink the last bottle of drink and… _ok, that wasn’t a drink it was a cupcake- with frosting- that someone poured into a bottle and added fizz:_ _ blech _ .

By the time he heard the door he was hungry, thirsty, the room smelled exactly like you would expect from using the wastebasket for a toilet, and he still had almost more questions than answers… not that he was certain he wanted the answers.

Jim came in and muttered, “I’m really sorry,” as he dug out the keys and unlocked him. “Everything ran late.”

“It’s… alright; i was kind of expecting it- group projects, right?” Sebastian tried for an understanding tone- after all, he had been expecting it.

Jim blinked at him and looked sort of hopefully pleased, “right… everyone was on time except one person and… um…” he made a bit of a face and was reaching for the wastebasket.

Sebastian had already determined that being nice to Jim didn't cost anything and MIGHT keep Craig away- besides, making ANYONE clean up anyone else's waste was just awful- so he took the wastebasket to the bathroom and dumped it, put the lining bag in the trash and washed the bucket out.

Jim was fidgeting in the doorway. “Uh… thanks… I’m really sorry about this.”

“Right, well uh… you didn't have much real food or … is there dinner?”

“Oh God, i have no idea- Craig only had the basics here and i don’t normally live here…”

“You don’t… well, right... that explains you not knowing the place, uh...can i… try to find something to eat?”

Jim suddenly shouted, “Craig!”

Sebastian cringed-  _ what the hell did i do wrong? _

“Huh? What?!” Craig’s voice and he blinked several times in Jim’s face.  _ shudder _ .

“There is not enough food here. You brought home a large muscular man and I am staying here, and there is not anything left to eat except tinned- I think it may actually be cat food- some sort of wafers, and tea.” Jim very firmly added, “we need to get in real food.”

_ Oh thank GOD, he was just upset with Craig! _

Craig’s body language bled through and he looked embarrassed: “Oh, right… ah, hadn’t planned on getting you a boyfriend- like i said i was eating him and changed my mind- so i didn't really-”

_ Eating him?  _ “What!?!” Sebastian yelped and then cringed back as Craig looked over at him.  _ Shit! Never draw his attention, Moran! _ .

“Oh, do you not remember?” Craig extended his hand… _ like he had...in the parking lot? _ , “I put my hand on you and… you would have gone unconscious? I understand it's fairly pleasant...mostly because I was too hungry to worry about making it UNpleasant.”

Memories of Craig Moriarty standing there, smiling in a blood soaked suit, extending a hand at him... “I… felt like… it was peaceful? Until suddenly it REALLY wasn't…?” he flinched with the recollection of the cold/electrified/seizure he had been certain would crack his spine and stop his heart.

“Oh, THAT part was putting you BACK and making your heart start up again when i changed my mind.”

_ START the heart back up? Not stop it… it had stopped- he’d KILLED me… putting me back in my body? Putting ME back in my body!  _

He heard Jim and Craig speaking and then Jim was asking him about groceries and the entire time Craig- he assumed- was typing into his phone, and what kept spinning around in his head was that Criag was eating him- had eaten him? And putting him BACK… and…

_ Is a soul real? _

_ Why does being healed hurt more than being killed? _

He sort of blinked a few times and realized dinner had arrived or something and tried to eat- after the first bite he realized he was starving and ate faster.

Jim seemed tired and wasn’t talking much and then suddenly, in mid bite, Craig spoke up.

“So I think I’ve solved the problem of needing to chain the boyfriend up.”

Sebastian froze- being the boyfriend in question- but Jim just kept eating and mumbled, “His name’s Sebastian, and remember I said i liked my present in one piece.”

A horrified realization of what Craig could do to keep him from running away- what he MIGHT do to keep him from running away- and how dependent he was on Jim wanting him undamaged …. The fork fell out of his suddenly clumsy fingers.

Craig said, “I KNOW, so I just need to take a couple days off to put up some wards and he won’t be able to get out of the flat unless I let him!”

Jim perked up a bit. “Wards…? OH! Oh like that thing you did when we were in New York?” Sebastian tried to follow this: he didn't know what they were talking about but so far it didn't sound like it involved anything damaging?

“Exactly!” Craig sounded pleased. “The right moon phase is coming up, so you’ll only have to keep him chained up for a couple more days, and I’ll get the ingredients and a new knife.”

“Knife?!” Sebastian blurted out the question despite trying not to attract attention.

Jim patted Sebastian’s hand, “Apparently most of the magic that Craig does involves blood.”

_ Magic… right… so not… cutting me up? Waitaminit!  _ “Whose blood?” Sebastian asked suspiciously.

Craig answered, “well… I’ll need some of Jim’s, and some of yours… and… i really need to double check whether there is a better flat for this… might need another whole body…”

_ Another whole body? _ Sebastian HATED the fact that he was just relieved it wasn't going to be HIS whole body….

“Then you won't have to be chained up! Won’t that be better?” Jim said happily, and then he looked a bit puzzled, “That’s… supposed to be reassuring…”

“The horrifying thing is? It IS vaguely reassuring,” Sebastian rubbed at his forehead, “Compared to what i was thinking…”

Craig snickered at him and his eyes flickered oddly.

Jim changed out of his day clothes and tried to watch some television with him, but after not very long he fell asleep on the sofa: JUST when Sebastian was wondering what to do Jim’s eyes opened…  _ Nope:Craig, definitely Craig. _

“You’re strong,” Craig in his Moriarty voice drawled, “Pick him up and get him to bed.”

Sebastian looked warily at him, “I wouldn’t mind picking HIM up, but YOU I don't want to get too close to.”

Moriarty cocked his head in that, ‘Aren’t you an interesting bug?’ fashion he had and said, “You’re really surprisingly intelligent, Moran- I think I’m glad i didn’t just eat you.” and then he closed his eyes and his face went back to ‘Jim asleep on the sofa’.

It took Sebastian several minutes to work up the nerve to pick the body up and carry him to the bedroom. He kept expecting Craig to suddenly bite him or something, which made it difficult to carry Jim since he was trying to keep his teeth pointed away…but he managed.

He lay down, wondering if the handcuff was going to just … grab him on its own; when Jim rolled over and wrapped himself over Sebastian the way he usually wrapped himself over a pillow.

Sebastian very quietly panicked… but nothing happened except Jim sort of snoring into his chest…

He very cautiously got himself a bit more settled and tried to rest.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian escapes... and its complicated.

It was when Sebastian got up and staggered to the bathroom that it really hit him that he wasn’t chained. He stayed in the bathroom for a bit, trying to work out the odds of actually getting away…

_I don’t know enough, but even when Jim was asleep CRAIG was awake enough to talk…_

Sebastian cautiously walked out of the bathroom and into the main area, staying WELL away from the door out, and started making breakfast with the groceries that had been delivered.

_Jim must either eat out a lot or… well he did say he didn't stay here. This is more of an evil lair: i mean it looks like a normal flat but the windows are all fake._

He eventually heard Jim shuffling around- Craig walked with more assurance and never seemed to have that half awake state- and… sure enough, Jim didn't seem to be aware of anything after he fell asleep.

Jim did eventually surprise him by shamefacedly asking if Craig had gotten him enough food- with the admission that he knew the snacks and so on weren’t enough.

Sebastian tried to gather a bit more intelligence when Jim insisted Craig ‘liked’ Sherlock. “Can… Can you tell me about that? Because I worked for Moriarty and I rather thought he DIDN’T like Sherlock.”

Jim looked so startled at him...“Oh God, no! He was all but rhapsodizing over him! Uh… I mean… he was trying to suggest i would like him too, but Craig’s ideas of good date material and mine are… um… different.”

Sebastian got up and fidgeted with the coffee and tea. “Can you explain? I’m… rather stuck with-”

“Me, yeah i know.” Jim sounded so sad...

Sebastian tried to give him a reassuring smile as he pointed out: “As i said to Craig last night: you i don't mind, but i’d rather keep my distance from HIM.”

“...you said what?”

“Well he was suggesting i carry you to bed, and i was pointing out that… I’d rather not get too close to Craig, even if i wasn’t adverse to picking you up, but the point is the same.”

Jim stuttered, stammered, blushed deep red, whispered, “thank you,” and fled.

Sebastian looked at the door out with some consideration- from all the way over near the coffee machine; he wasn't THAT crazy. Right now Craig was… potentially escapable, if he could get loose while he- they- were away, but if Craig actually COULD do some weird magic shit to the door? How would he get away then? Sebastian washed the dishes and cleaned the flat and considered.

Jim came back and asked him to write up a grocery list- or help- and Sebastian made a point of acting like he was making up a shopping list for a safe house or flat he was going to be living in, all the while trying to figure out how to get away from Craig. He asked for some books and things- partly for cover and partly in case he couldn't get away.

Finally he just came out and asked: “So, Craig… is listening, right?”

Jim blinked at him and nodded a lot, “Right, well i mean- he’s here but he doesn't always pay attention which is why i sometimes sort of yell…”

“And… Craig… is Moriarty? Not you…” _Because Moriarty is careless when he isn't paying attention, but WAY too smart when he is._

“I’ve had to pretend to be him once or twice- it sucks because i usually have no idea what they’re going on about,” Jim admitted, “but no… that’s all Craig’s business.”

“Can… Ok, so Craig can hear it when we talk… Can you hear it when CRAIG talks? Like to me?” That was really more a matter of curiosity since Jim hadn’t reacted at all to the whole ‘voluntary boyfriend’ discussion.

He fidgeted a bit and chewed on a finger. “Sometimes? Craig has control of the… the body i guess is the easiest way to put it- so if i’m not closed off i can hear what he’s doing- although sometimes i sort of… don’t look? Craig can shut me out anytime he wants to, though; like he did when… when you two had a chat a couple days ago? I don’t know what he said or did- when i came back you were just… i was just glad you were sane, really.”

Craig’s eyes gleamed from behind Jim’s face and Sebastian changed the subject FAST.

“I was just wondering because you went to sleep and then Craig opened his eyes and told me to carry you into the bedroom…” Sebastian watched carefully but that seemed to pacify Craig.

“Oh...no, i was asleep- i don’t remember that.”

“And you don't remember being at the pool… or being shot…”

“Fortunately, no.”

Sebastian nodded slowly and made a show of fiddling around with dishes and stuff, because he had JUST noticed a mini tool kit in the junk drawer. “He can… do magic so i won't be able to leave the flat even if I’m not chained?”

“Yes? Well...i’ve seen the reverse- magic so you can't get IN- and he says he can.” Jim shivered in a frightened fashion and Sebastian started to worry, but Jim shook his head and said,. “I didn't have a great time in New York: this time I get to help and maybe learn a bit!”

“I… would really prefer to be able to leave.”

Jim winced, “yeah… i know… I’m… sorry.” 

Sebastian made a show of leaning over the sink while he slipped the tool kit and a few other odds and ends into his pajamas. “Right, so… any chance of getting in some exercise equipment at least? Something?… I’m not used to being cooped up.”

Jim seemed somewhat cheered by that and agreed, and then asked him to help move things into the bedroom for the day…

 _Bless you, you naive darling Jim_ : Sebastian moved quite a bit into the bedroom including choosing the exact right kind of plastic soda bottle to use to pick a lock with.

Suddenly realizing that being a bit too cheerful would be out of character he made a point of acting FAR more put out over the wastebasket toilet than he was and suggested an invalid toilet.

Craig looked vaguely suspicious at him and he didn't have to fake the sudden recoil onto the bed, but then he was just getting locked down again and Jim looked apologetic at him and they went out.

Sebastian worked on the Sudoku and read the not-as-trashy-as-the-cover-made-it-seem romance novel for a solid nerve-wracking HOUR just to be sure that Craig wouldn’t pop back in suddenly…

_It would be just my luck if Jim actually forgot his lunch or something- not even Craig and a ‘Gotcha’._

It took him an appalling amount of time to get the plastic bottle cut into a strip for the lock picking, but in the end that trick he learned from American Toby out in the sandbox did more good than his professional training at escape.

He went to the bathroom- mentally rehearsing excuses the entire time in case he got caught- ‘just couldn't stand using the wastebasket again’ seemed believable.

He honestly felt like he might throw up as he opened the only door OUT- _God what a mess I am_. He tried giving himself a pep talk but it wasn't working. 

The flat he had been in turned out to be built up out of rooms in the basement of some building, just off the garage- he’d suspected as much given that the windows were all fake- and luckily the guards were just not trained to watch out for an escapee. _‘He never left me a live one before’, right._

It took breaking into two cars before he could find someone who kept a spare pair of trainers- too small- and a t-shirt in their car, because the pajama bottoms were excusable with a t-shirt and trainers on, but not barefoot and looking like he just forgot to get dressed entirely.

Once he had those, he simply took off “jogging”; which was painful in the too small shoes, but not as painful as - _DO NOT THINK ABOUT THAT._

Eventually he found his way to a familiar road and from there to a shop he recognized, and from THERE he managed to talk someone into letting him use their phone… and he called in the emergency pick up.

The wait for that was the longest few minutes of his life.  
After that everything moved incredibly swiftly- and ran into problems. He was, naturally, put into secure holdings and questioned, and even with his statements of “I must have been drugged out of my mind because what I SAW was impossible”, they didn't believe him.

Maybe because he knew- really KNEW- that he hadn't been drugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahem, no i am NOT joking about using a strip from a plastic soda bottle to pick a (certain kind of) lock:  
> The lock picking lawyer on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm9K6rby98W8JigLoZOh6FQ
> 
> its a bit more complicated than i make it sound, but he had several odds and ends in addition


End file.
